Sole-leveling machine



Feb. 26,1929.

1 J. B. HADAWAYi I LE L VELING luwn'ina a1 Filed Dec. 22. 1 2 3 Sheets- Sheet l Origin Feb. 26, 1929.

J. a. HADAWAY SOLE LEVELING jmHI-ua Original'iiled Dec. 22, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet Feb. 26; 1929.

J. B. HADAWAY SOLE LEVELIN MACH'XNE Original Filed Dec. 22, 1921 3 sh t -s 3 Patented Feb. 26,1929

UNITED STATES PATENT orl-"lca.

JOHN B. HADAW AY, OF SWAMPSCOTTQMASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF IA'IERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOLE-LEVHING MAOHIN E.

Application flednecember 22, 1921, Serial no. 524,129. Renewed my 7, 1928.

The invention relates to machines for leveling the soles of boots and shoes and more particularly to that type known as automatic leveling machines.

In this'class of leveling machines as compared with those. of the direct pressure type, the shoe sole is acted upon by a comparatively small roll which, in some machines, is rapidly vibrated as it travels over the sole and repeatedly applies .a rolling pressure to the sole at the as this point progresses a ong the sole, and thus shapes the sole to the-bottom of the last by the application of a comparatively light pressure repeatedly and progressively applied. In the machines as heretofore constructed variations in the lateral curvature at different parts of the shoe sole have been commonly secured by varying the relative lateral inclination of the roll and shoe supporting jack during the travel of the roll along the sole. While these machines give satisfactory results on certain classes of work their use is not entirely satisfactory for leveling shoes in which there should be a well defined line of demarcation between the shank and forepart as in shoes having high arch shanks. Their use also sometimes presents the disadvantage that the pressure of the roll along one side of the sole tends to disturb or modify the shape given to the sole by the action of the roll along the other side.

The present invention provides an organization which is free from these objectionable features of the prior automatic machines while retaining the features which areparticularly adapted for successfully leveling many types of shoes when supported on the usual wooden lasts, such as the comparatively small roll with its restricted sole engaging area and the light rolling pressure repeatedly applied as the roll progresses alongthe shoe sole. This is accomplished in theconstruction shown by providing the periphery of the roll witha. sole shaping form or matrix which extends approximately around the roll and also by providing novel'means through which the-roll is positively rotated by the relative movements of the jack and roll lengthwise .ofitheshoe sole. With this construction the matrix. will roll along the sole and during its-travel each transverse element of the matrix 'will rdl point of operation 'machine shown in said patent.

back and forth lengthwise of the sole and thus repeatedly impress its shape on the sole by a rolling pressure extending from side to side of the sole. The means for rotating the roll preferably consists of a spur gear on the roll shaft whose diameter is equal to the mean diameter of the matrix and a segment or rack on the jack which is maintained in engagement with the gear during the travel of the roll over the shoe sole.

This engagement is maintained also while the jack is in inoperative position and an untreated shoe is being inserted in the machine, so that the roll is held in proper position, both vertically and peripherally, to engage the shoe in the right manner, as the leveling operation begins.

In accordance with a further feature, novel means is provided for adjusting the matrix roll in proper relation to the shoe, the construction shown comprising means for adjusting the rack relatively to the jack and also agage to assist in effecting the proper adjustment.

The invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanyi drawings and the following description the construction shown therein.

In the drawings Fig. l-is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention in its preferred form, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the shoe supporting jack and the leveling roll, and Fig. 3 is a front elevationofutha same.

In the drawings the invention is shown embodied in a machine which is similar in many respects tothe machine shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,239,664 granted Sept. 11,1917, on an application of William C. Baxter.

In this machine the shoe to be leveled is carried on a jack which is oscillated in an automatically determined cycle by poweroperated mechanism similar to that of the The jack comprises a toe post 2 mounted to turn on thefulcrum shaft 4 and a heel post 6 pivoted at 8 to the the post and adjustable toward and from the toe post for different sizes of shoes by a screw threaded adjusting shaft .10. The shoe is leveled by a comparatively which is to be given to the sole. The roll is journaled in a vertically movable support let and may be vibrated lengthwise ofthe' shoe sole by mechanism 16 such as shown in the above patent, To maintain the form onthe rollin time or register with the sole on the jack and to secure a rolling pressure as the roll traverses the sole, and asherein illustrated also during the vibration of the roll, means is provided for positively rotat ing the roll by the relative movementbetween the roll and jack lengthwise of the shoe sole. As shown this means'comprises a gear 18 secured to the roll shaft and engaging a segmental rack 20 carried on the jack. The gear preferably has a pitch diameter which is equal to the mean diameter of the matrix on the periphery of theroll and the rack has a curvature approximating characteristic of machines of the type illustrated the jack is in its outer inactive or inoperative position and is disconnected from the actuating mechanism, the rack thus supporting the roll in a plane substan-. tially tangential to the bottom of the toe of the shoe so that it will first engage the shoe without objectionable impact.

This construction insuresthat the rack.

and gear shall maintain the matrix and shoe sole in registering relation so that each transverse element of the matrix acts on the complementary part-of the shoe sole and also insures the application of a rolling pressure as thejack is moved relatively to the roll and also during both-the forward and i backward vibratory movements ofthe'roll.

In order that the sole may be properly shaped it is important that the ball line ofthe inatrix register with the hallliiie of the sole and the rack 20 is accordingly so mounte ed on the frame 22 that it may be adjusted lengthwise of the shoe sole. For'this purpose the plate on which the rack is formed is connected with the frame by a screwthreaded adjusting shaft 32 and is secured in adjusted position by bolts '34-" which pass through curved slots in the plate. This adjustment also permits the point on theraclr corresponding to the'sole engaging position of the ball line of the matrix to be brought into line with the ball line ofthe solein adjusting thejack for different sizes of shoes. To facilitate the adjustment of the rack and through it the matrix roll so that the ball line of the matrix will strike the ball line of the sole of the shoe supported on the jack a gage finger 36 is pivoted on the rack so that it may be swung into position to register with the ball, line of'the sole or be swung back out of the path of' the gear 18. The gage finger is located inline with the point on the rack which is engaged by the gear when the ball line of the matrix is in sole engaging position so that proper adjustment of the rack and matrix for any shoe maybe made by bringing the finger into register with the ball line of the sole. The finger may be held in either position by a leaf spring 38 engaging one of a series of flat faces 40 formed on the hub of the finger.

While it is preferredto employ the construction shown and described in applying the invention to the machine of the patent referred to this construction is not essential to theibroader features of the invention and may be varied or modified as found desirable or best suited to the specific construction and mode of operation of the machine in i which the invention is to be utilized. f

113b is claimed is: r 1'. A sole-leveling machine having, in combination, a shoe-supporting jack, a leveling roll having onits periphery a soleshaping matrix which extends approximately around the roll, means for effecting relative movement of the roll and the jack lengthwise of the shoe, and a positive connection between the roll andthe jack comprisinga gear connected to the roll and a rack mounted on the jack for positively rotat-ing the roll by the relative movements of the roll and the jack lengthwise of the shoe to apply a rolling pressure to the sole.

2. A sole leveling machine having, in comhination, shoe supporting jack, aleveling roll having a sole shaping matrix on its periphery, means for effecting relative movement of the roll and the jack lengthwise ofthe shoe, means for vibrating the roll during said relative movement, and means comprising a positive connection between the roll and the jack for positively rotating the roll by the relative movement of the roll and jack'lengthwise of'the shoe sole to apply a rolling pressure to the sole. 7 3. A sole leveling machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a lov elingroll having a sole shaping matrix on its, periphery, means for effecting relative movement of the roll and the jack lengthwise of the shoe, and meansfor positively rotating the roll by the relativemovement oftheroll and. jack adjustable to cause the ball line of the matrix to. register'with the ball line of a shoe uponthe jack. 7

4t. sole leveling machine having, in combination, a'shoe supporting jack, a leveling roll having a sole shaping matrix on its 7 periphery, means for effecting; relative movement of the roll and the jack lengthwise of the shoe, means for positively rotating the roll by the relative movement of the roll and jack adjustable to cause the ball line of the matrix to register with the ball line of a shoe upon the jack, and a gage arranged to register withthe ball line of the sole when the requisite adjustment is secured.

5. A sole leveling machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a leveling roll having a sole shaping matrix on its periphery, a gear connected to the roll, a rack movable heightwise of the shoe on the jack, and means for maintaining the rack in engagement with the gear.

6. A sole leveling machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a vibrating leveling roll having a sole shaping matrix on its periphery, a gear connected to the roll, and a spring-pressed upwardly or downwardly movable rack on the jack cooperating with the gear.

7 A sole leveling machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a leveling roll having a sole shaping matrix on its periphery, a gear connected to the roll, and a cooperating rack on the jack adjustable to bring the ball line of the matrix into register with the ball line of a shoe on the jack. 7

8. A sole leveling machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a leveling roll having a sole shapingmatrix on its periphery, a ear connected to the roll, a cooperating rac on the jack adjustable to bring the ball line of the matrix into register with the ball line of a shoe on the jack, and a gage finger on the rack arranged to be thrown into register with the ball line of the shoe when the rack is adjusted to cause the ball line of the matrix to register with the ball line of the shoe.

9. A sole leveling machine combination, a shoe supporting jack, a leveling roll having a sole shaping matrix on its periphery, a gear connected to the roll, a cooperating rack on the jack adjustable having, in

lengthwise of the sole, and a gage on the rac arranged to cooperate with the shoe sole in indicating the adjustment of the rack and matrix.

10. A sole leveling machine having, in

11. A sole leveling machine having, in

combination, a shoe supporting jack movable between inoperative and operative leveling positions, a leveling roll, power-operated means operative in an automatically determined cycle for relatively moving the roll and jack lengthwise of a shoe on the jack to level the shoe, and means for supporting the roll, while the jack is in inoperative position, in the proper position to pass substantially tangentially on to the bottom of the toe of the shoe in the power operation of the machine.

12. A sole leveling machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a leveling roll, means for relatively moving the roll and jack to level a shoe on the jack and permitting the jack to swing from under the roll when a shoe is to be removed or inserted, and means on the jack for supporting the roll in its normal idle position, in a lane tangential to the bottom of the toe oi the shoe.

13. A sole leveling machine having, in combination, a shoe supporting jack, a leveling roll having a sole shaping matrix on its periphery, a gear connected to the roll, and a co-operating rack on the jack adjustable to bring the ball line of the matrix into register with the ball line of a shoe on the jack, the rack being constructed and arranged to support the gear while a shoe is I being inserted in the machine.

In testimony whereof I have'signed my name to this specification.

JOHN B. HADAWAY. 

